The Leica S2 as a Travel Camera

[bobtowery]

Just want to say when you put this kind of excellent gear in the hands of a photog with a seasoned eye, in a beaut location, watch out! Love each of your images. I would gladly take an S2 on a travel shoot! Thanks for your article and these images.

[peterzpicts]

Wow what a travel kit, over 50k USD in gear shooting in some of the most back woods locations. I would could not sleep with that much treasure in tow.  I guess it truly is a case of the difference between the men and the boys.  BTW great shots would love to see them larger than web size.
Pete

[JohnBrew]

Nick, another stellar job. Thank you for this post. Now if I can just find a way to keep my wife from finding out where that 50 grand went!! (Not!)

[Nick Rains]

Thanks for the kind words guys. There are more images on my website, sadly but necessarily web-sized too. Rest assured the full sized files, and prints, look pretty good. I do wish there was some way to show this on the web...

[c5gowin]

Nick I read your article with great interest. I reached the same conclusion as yourself regarding the S2 as a travel camera. It is really surprising just how easy it is to use as travel camera and, as a result, you end up with exceptional image quality. The camera is a pleasure.

I really enjoyed your photos. Well done. I bet they look great in print.

[wolfnowl]

All been said... great work!


Mike.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Theoretically, you could post full size images for download, but I understand that there are a lot of issues. It's a great pity we cannot share prints on the web!

Anyway, great pictures and good info. Thanks for sharing!

Best regards
Erik

Thanks for the kind words guys. There are more images on my website, sadly but necessarily web-sized too. Rest assured the full sized files, and prints, look pretty good. I do wish there was some way to show this on the web...

[dfarkas]

Thanks for the kind words guys. There are more images on my website, sadly but necessarily web-sized too. Rest assured the full sized files, and prints, look pretty good. I do wish there was some way to show this on the web...

Nick, great job on the article and wonderful images. The S2 is a truly versatile tool.

Red Dot Forum allows members to post full-size JPG images from the S2 (up to 30MB per image). A 550px wide thumbnail is automatically generated, but when clicked, the full-size image opens in a new tab. Love for you post some of your images there, perhaps in the Images to Share section.

David

[Alan Goldhammer]

Theoretically, you could post full size images for download, but I understand that there are a lot of issues. It's a great pity we cannot share prints on the web!

Another approach is to make a few images available upon request with certain conditions (e.g., no resale).  One LuLa member (not sure if it's right to give his name out here) will send a select JPG that is fully developed and sharpened for printing on glossy A4 paper (even though a 3MB JPG it prints out well).  I received one and it's a wonderful way to see others work (as well as sharing) and it does get around the problem of web photos.

[Philmar]

Nick, another stellar job. Thank you for this post. Now if I can just find a way to keep my wife from finding out where that 50 grand went!! (Not!)

Just paste a fake Louis Vuiton or Chanel label over the Leica name.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Just paste a fake Louis Vuiton or Chanel label over the Leica name.

Or use a real label, cut from one of her outfits. (I have colleagues who are divorce lawyers and I'd like to see them kept in business.)

Jeremy

[Nick Rains]

Nick, great job on the article and wonderful images. The S2 is a truly versatile tool.
Red Dot Forum allows members to post full-size JPG images from the S2 (up to 30MB per image). A 550px wide thumbnail is automatically generated, but when clicked, the full-size image opens in a new tab. Love for you post some of your images there, perhaps in the Images to Share section.
David

As you suggested, I have posted an image in the 'Images to Share' section of the Red Dot Forum. It's not a particularly amazing image in itself, but it does clearly show up the amazing low noise and fine detail at ISO640.

I'll post something else in a while to show the fine detail at IOS160.

[Rajan Parrikar]

Nick, I looked at the image you posted at Red Dot Forum, and didn't see anything particularly special.  I mean, this image could well have come out of a good dSLR.  Perhaps your next image will show something that will distinguish this equipment. 

(Note: I am not disputing the prowess of the S2)

[Nick Rains]

ISO640, no visible noise in the sky with no Luminance NR applied, medium format quality, very contrasty subject yet full shadow detail. You're a hard person to please!

[telyt]

Since Nick's website shows him with a big white lens it seems he's in a good position to decide if the S2's output is any different from that of a good DSLR.  Thanks for the article, Nick.

[DaveCurtis]

I checked out Diglloyd.com (subscription based) and he compares D3x to the S2. And to my eye the S2 is at the next level. Larger sensor, no AA filter and brilliant lenses. The lenses are in another league (and price) to anything that I have seen from Canon or Nikon.

[Rajan Parrikar]

I checked out Diglloyd.com (subscription based) and he compares D3x to the S2. And to my eye the S2 is at the next level. Larger sensor, no AA filter and brilliant lenses. The lenses are in another league (and price) to anything that I have seen from Canon or Nikon.

In that comparison by Lloyd, the D3x stacks up very well against the S2.  Overall the S2, per Lloyd's reckoning, comes out ahead (but not by much).  That incremental superiority obviously comes at a price.

[Nick Rains]

That incremental superiority obviously comes at a price.

Yes, indeed. This is true of all high end technology. it's an exponential, not linear, cost/benefit.

The differences are clear but the S2 wins out over the D3x (and I have tested this myself, not just read online reviews), but by a smaller margin than might appear to be reflected by the price. Significantly, the D3x is no cheap camera either - it was roundly panned for being too expensive when it was released.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I guess that it was felt that the D3X was far to expensive compared to the D3 and also that Nikon has no affordable full frame camera > 20MP that Sony and Canon happen to have.

Best regards
Erik

Yes, indeed. This is true of all high end technology. it's an exponential, not linear, cost/benefit.

The differences are clear but the S2 wins out over the D3x (and I have tested this myself, not just read online reviews), but by a smaller margin than might appear to be reflected by the price. Significantly, the D3x is no cheap camera either - it was roundly panned for being too expensive when it was released.